Program Reviews

My study abroad experience has been by far one of the best things that has happen to me. I have learned so much about the culture, history and social life of Spain. In my stay I felt like I was part of the community. This program allowed me to see the world with a different perspective and mind set. The different activities the program offered allowed me to explore the country in a fun and creative way.

When one thinks of studying abroad, things such as the chance to travel, immerse oneself in a new culture, and make lifelong friendships and memories come to mind. While all of this is true, those things are only the typical golden highlights of it.
SOL did so much more than that when it came to making my study abroad experience the best that it could be! The program directors did a fantastic job pairing roommates, not to mention the family placements. Moving to a new country is difficult enough without adding in the stress of having a roommate you don't get along with. With SOL, they carefully read your preferences and personal interests and match you with another student similar to yourself. My roommate and I were practically twins! My host family was welcoming and eager to introduce us to the Spanish ways of life, I never felt like an intruder in their home. And luckily, my host mom loved the kitchen which meant I was never short of a fantastic meal!
Apart from housing, SOL facilitates entertaining and culturally enriching activities to highlight the different things that Granada has to offer. A few of my cultural activities included a flamenco class, a visit to the Alhambra, Arabic baths, and horseback riding. Among the excursions we took were Sevilla, Cordoba, and Nerja. I loved the opportunity to be exposed to these three cities of Spain that I otherwise may not have seen. They were places filled with as much history as they were beauty.
Overall, SOL was very organized and did a great job in preparing events that truly engaged us in the cultural aspects that were most important. The on-site directors were always friendly and made sure we knew that they were available for anything we may need. If I were to study abroad again, I wouldn't want to go with anyone but SOL!

In May I returned to the U.S. after four months abroad in Heredia, Costa Rica, a sweet, lively town about an hour by bus from the nation's capital, San Jose. I studied with Sol Education Abroad, and I loved it. The directors made sure that we were more than tourists: at every opportunity, we talked about the social, political, economic, and cultural situations of the areas we visited. I spent my semester parasailing, white-water rafting, waterfall rappelling, hiking, and zip-lining...all while taking five classes and improving my Spanish by leaps and bounds. (Parents, never fear! I did indeed study plenty, and one of my five classes was with locals. That's right, in Spanish for Spanish speakers, dealing with the Costa Rican government structure, with Spanish tests and Spanish presentations! Was it hard? YES. Was it worth it? YES.)

My Spanish improved big time, especially since I lived with a host family. I still talk to my host mom, and I have plans to return in a few years. My host family's open arms are just a microcosm of the way that all of Costa Rica welcomed us not simply as tourists, but rather students of their language and their culture. I had conversations with bus drivers and taxi drivers and hotel clerks alike, all whom were impressed by my desire to communicate in Spanish and excited to share their opinion on the best beaches or the most beautiful can't-miss views in the country.

I could talk about my time abroad for a really long time. I wrote a blog if you want to know more (equaltohismajesty.wordpress.com), but from volunteer work to typical meals to beach weekends with the girls to Holy Week processions that filled the streets, I can't do justice to how my time in Costa Rica with Sol changed me. Basically, I have to tell you this: just go! You won't be sorry; I know I wasn't.

I was honestly a bit nervous for my first experience abroad, but Oaxaca, Mexico - the people, the mountains, the vibrant color, and magical festivals radically changed my life. I learned, over the course of 3 1/2 months to appreciate the people I was surrounded by, to ask more questions, to explore with more enthusiasm, to open my mind and my heart to a new culture and language, to be silly, make mistakes, and to experience the richness of the world in a new light. Of all of the memories that I have from my time in college, my study abroad experience in Oaxaca, with SOL, stands far above the rest!

Oaxaca is such a wonderful experience of the culture in Mexico and the people are incredibly warm and hospitable. Studying Abroad with SOL Education Abroad was such a good experience because they are very well organized, the program is not overpriced and the experiences have been priceless. I have such a different perspective of people in general after traveling for a longer period of time than in the past. I think that's what studying abroad does for you. You experience a different perspective of life which can bring such a beautiful change in our minds and hearts. I would do the program again!

Wow! I don't know where to start. My semester abroad with Sol Education in Heredia, Costa Rica was absolutely perfect. To begin with, the length was ideal (a little over 3 months with start and end dates almost identical to my semester at my home university). The homestay was an amazing way to learn about the culture and really master Spanish. The directors help you every step of the way as well! They plan activities for almost every weekend, and give suggestions for free weekends. Also, I feel like I was really able to bond with my fellow students because we all were able to take classes together. Heredia especially is an ideal location to study abroad because it has everything a large city has to offer but is close to more tranquil and jungly destinations as well. I would highly suggest using Sol Education for your study abroad semester, summer, week, month, etc. Down to the airport pick up and drop off, Sol did not fail to impress.

Not many have been blessed with the opportunity to travel abroad. I have been very fortunate to travel to El Salvador, Guatemala, and thanks to SOL education abroad, Spain. My traveling purposes to Central America were for personal and vacation reasons, so when before my study abroad experience in Spain, I was somewhat nervous because I had never traveled alone and never studied anywhere else but home. How hard will the classes be? Will the teachers be very strict? Will my host family like me? Will I make friends? These questions and more are the questions that worry students, but SOL and its wonderful directors helped so much with making us feel comfortable. I will never stop saying such wonderful things about Sol!

There's no way possible to write a review that can accurately capture the marvelous experience that is SOL. I actually studied abroad in Costa Rica the semester before going to Mexico, and they were both fantastic! They're completely different, but both worth every minute. The program is extremely affordable yet still manages to offer everything a student studying abroad could imagine: cultural activities, excursions, immersion, awesome classes, and fantastic teachers. The support system is incredible as well! Sol also lets you basically design your own program. You choose your classes, housing situation (if you want apartment, dorm, or host family), and activities. Sol really sets you up to experience the cultural in a way that works for you yet also brings you to a higher level of confidence and independence. I highly recommend Sol Education Abroad for any level of Spanish speaker and world explorer!

Studying abroad with Sol Education changed my life! The staff are dedicated to the mission of traveling with cultural awareness, giving back to the community where you've been given the opportunity to expand your world views, and diving deep into a understanding of a language your passionate about learning. I will never forget the experiences I had visiting a off the grid permaculture farm that I later had the opportunity to volunteer with. I'm grateful every day that I found Sol Education and think about the people I met and experiences I had every day.

I studied abroad this past fall with Sol in Granada, Spain. It was my very first trip outside of the country and if I were to do it all over again, I wouldn't change a thing about it. I stayed with an amazing host family who welcomed my roommate (who is now one of my closest friends) and I as one of their very own children. Sol Education does an amazing job at everything they do from pairing students with great host families to helping students register for classes. It is also a very affordable program that has amazing locations, great schools, and very fun and educational excursions that I enjoyed so much!